Simple Cultured Cashew Cream Cheese

Amazingly easy vegan cultured cashew cream cheese, made from just two ingredients: cashews and nondairy yogurt. This vegan cream cheese will make a believer out of any skeptic. Naturally paleo, gluten-free, grain-free and no sugar added!

Ingredients

2cupsraw cashewssoaked overnight in filtered water (raw macadamia nuts also work - but will take a lot longer to blend)

2tbspplain, unsweetened non-dairy yogurt(see notes)

1/2tspsea salt(plus more to taste)

filtered wateras needed to blend

Instructions

Prepare a clean and dry glass or other nonreactive container. I use a Pyrex container. It may not be strictly required, but it's best to sterilize all of your equipment with boiling water before getting started.

Drain the liquid off of the soaked cashews. Add them to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. If you aren't used a high-powered blender, it will take several minutes for the cashews to break down and release oils in order to become a smooth mixture. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed; you can also add filtered water a tablespoon at a time if you're having trouble blending.

Note: if your blender has warmed the mixture very much, it's best to take a break now and wait for it to cool down (we don't want to kill the yogurt cultures with heat). Then, add the yogurt and salt and pulse to combine.

Transfer to the clean container and cover. Let sit out at room temperature for 24 hours. Use a clean utensil to taste the mixture, and add more sea salt to taste; let it culture for another 12-24 hours if you want a stronger tang.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 weeks. (Note: length of storage time may depend on the culturing conditions and brand of yogurt used).

(Optional step) This recipe makes cultured cashew cream cheese with a texture more like "whipped" dairy cream cheese. For a firmer texture like block cream cheese, press out the liquid using cheesecloth.

Recipe Notes

I use So Delicious Plain Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk as my nondairy yogurt of choice. I have tried this with soy yogurt and it also works. I find Forager cashew yogurt a little more prone to mold than other brands. Whatever you do, please use UNflavored, UNsweetened, yogurt.

I have experienced that the raw cashews sold at Trader Joe's are a lower quality than other vendors. They do work for this recipe, but I recommend against them if you have other options available.